Hallucinations
by PieBye
Summary: Richard's been having hallucinations, who else to come to his rescue than Asbel?


Hallucinations

-UTG-

Asbel knocked quietly on his King's door. The response he received was a muffled, "Come in!" from the other side of the door. He walked in only to see that King Richard's bedroom was in complete chaos.

On the floor there was a mix of clothes and important documents that _should_ have been in a neat pile on Richard's desk where Asbel left them the night before. On Richard's bed, his comforter and sheets were all over the place in several lumps on the bed; Asbel could even see a lampshade sticking out from under the sheets.

Asbel slowly made his way over to one of the many lumps on Richard's bed; he knew this one was Richard because the lump was breathing.

"Um… Richard?" He poked the lump.

He was rewarded with a sword to his throat and a piercing stare from Richard. Before Asbel could ask 'What was going on?' realization flooded into Richard's eyes and he lowered his blade.

"Oh, it's just you Asbel."

Asbel didn't know what to say first so he started with the most obvious, "What happened Richard?"

"Nothing, I just had a rough night."

Asbel put on a dry expression and crossed his arms, "A rough night that leaves your room a complete mess?" He changed to a sympathetic expression, "Now what really happened?" He took a seat next to Richard on the bed.

Richard had a serious expression on, "It's just that I've been seeing these things…. At night."

"You mean like a nightmare?"

Richard let out a frustrated sigh, "No Asbel! People don't have nightmares when they're wide awake."

It was quiet for a bit.

Asbel was the first to speak, "C'mon Richard you should get dressed," He stood up. "I'm going to tell your adviser to cancel your appointments for today."

"I have important meeting to do today, you can't just cancel them."

Asbel turned to look at Richard directly, "Yes I can. With all this stress those ''important meeting'' have been causing you, you barely have time to concentrate on yourself."

Richard thought for a bit, "What will we do instead?"

Asbel smiled.

-UTG-

Richard and Asbel spent the day looking at all the different street vendor carts and seeing what they had to offer. They had stopped multiple times to eat where Richard would insist on paying, claiming that it was the gentlemen thing to do.

They decided to rest their feet from a day full of walking by stopping at the dock. They sat down swinging their legs over the side.

"Asbel."

"Yes?"

"I'd like to apologize about earlier, I didn't mean to yell." Richard was wearing a serious expression for the first time since their conversation that morning.

Asbel laughed a genuine one, "Oh that? Don't worry about it; I'm not even upset about it, you were just stressed."

Richard let a small smile show, "I guess you're right…."

A comfortable silence fell over them for a bit.

"Richard?"

"Yes Asbel?

"I'm just curious but… What were the hallucinations you saw?"

Richard was quiet for a while before he spoke, "They were… They were Lambda's monsters. They looked too real last night, I felt like they were right here."

"Is that why your room was so messy this morning?"

"Yes, it felt like I was fighting them all night but I have come to realize that I wasn't really fighting anything." Richard's tone was bitter.

Asbel looked up at Richard only to see the other man staring off into the distant sunset, "Don't worry Richard if any of Lambda's monsters come after you I'll be there to take care of them personally," His face showing nothing but complete honesty.

Richard let out a laugh. "I hardly think you'll be here all the time; besides you're a lord of Lhant now, you don't have time to make trips to Barona at any moment's notice. I'm also a king now too; I can't depend on my friends doing things for me either."

Asbel let out a chuckle and scratched his head, "I guess you're right. C'mon let's get you back to the castle."

-UTG-

It was dark outside by the time Asbel escorted Richard to his room; Asbel insisted on coming in.

Asbel waited on the couch in Richard's room while Richard went about his night time rituals; as always.

Richard walked back into his room wearing an elegant looking night robe. "You can leave now if you wish Asbel, I'm sure you want to get some sleep too." Richard was pulling his bed sheets down and getting into bed as he spoke.

"What do you mean?" Asbel asked.

Richard gave Asbel a confused look, "I am saying you can go to your room for the night; I'm perfectly fine now."

"I can't go now, I have to protect you from Lambda's monsters; I promised."

"Asbel I am a King now, I can handle things."

"Look Richard, I know you were right and that I am a Lord now so I can't come to Barona at a moment's notice… but I am here now, so I can protect you while I'm still here." Asbel spoke in a genuine tone.

Richard let out a small laugh, "You would come up with something like that Asbel."

Asbel smiled, "Night Richard."

"Goodnight Asbel."


End file.
